Shiftable binder



March 30, 1937. B, G, RAND 2,075,767

'SHIFTABLE BINDER Filed Aug. 14, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Benjamin 6. Rand.

March 30, 1937. B. G. RAND SHIFTABLE BINDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1931 gl'nw'nl'oz Benjamin G.Rand,

v dt to: e 1 4 March 30,1937. 5, G RAND 2,075,767

SHIFTABLE BINDER Filed Aug. 14, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNE'E'ED STATES 2,075,767 SHIFTABLE BINDER Benjamin G. Rand, North Tonawanda, N. Y., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application August 14, 1931, Serial No. 557,162

5 Claims.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders and particularly to that class of binders wherein a plurality of binder posts or prongs are provided for engaging in openings in loose leaves to be filed, for supporting the leaves in such manner that they may be readily examined, removed or replaced.

Heretofore such binders have comprised a pair of back members for carrying covers and which were pivoted together to form-a book, the binder posts or prongs being secured in aligned relation to each of the back members in such fashion that upon moving the back members apart about the pivot axis the free ends of the posts were separated to allow loose leaves to be inserted thereover or to be moved together so that the binder posts on the opposite back members overlapped, thus holding the papers fixed in the device. It was found desirable to provide three separate positions for the back members and binder posts, namely, a first position wherein the back members and the free ends of the posts were separated to allow or permit of insertion of the leaves; secondly, a position wherein the posts slightly overlapped to retain the papers against a removal from the device but yet allow them sufficient movement relative to the prongs to enable their ready examination; and thirdly, a closed position wherein the opposed binder posts almost completely overlapped in order to compress the retained papers and close the book so that it would require minimum storage space. As the positive retention of the back members and the attached binder posts in certain positions is desirable, locking means or latching means have been provided in some devices of this type, such means cooperating with the back members independently of the pivot means.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved binder structure in which the cover members are movably connected to a pair of sliding plates which carry the binder posts. The slide plates are supported for arcuate sliding movement upon a guide member and means are 0 provided in association with the slide plates and the guide member for holding the slide plates and. the binder posts in any one of the positions previously indicated, which the operator or user of the device may desire. The present construction differs materially from prior constructions of the hinged or pivoted back type in that the means which permit of the relative movement of the back members are closely associated with or are the same members which perform the latching or holding functions so that independent devices for this purpose are eliminated. Another advantage of this construction is that the movement of the sliding plate members, to which the post bars are affixed, may be varied and need not be limited to movement about some hinge or pivot axis as has been the'case with binders of this general type which have heretofore been constructed.

In certainloose leaf books it is common to have leaves considerably narrower than the width of the book covers so that the leaves may be mounted on the series of leaf or binder posts in overlapping, offset, relation, with their lower or upper edges visible. It is .often necessary to insert leaves into or remove leaves from the book in which case it is necessary to shift some of the remaining leaves so that the overlapping spaces will be all equal, and of sufficient width to per-- mit'view of indexing indiciaor the like which may be printed or written at the bottom or top edges of the sheets. In order to obtain such spacing of the leaves it has heretofore been proposed to employ movable means for supporting the posts on one of the cover or back members so that such posts may be moved relatively to and longitudinally of the posts on the other back or cover to effect a shifting of leaves supported by the movable posts relative to leaves on the fixed posts. To complete this operation it is, of course, essential that the opposed posts be spaced during the shifting operation and that they be movable to overlapped position in order to juxtapose the shifted sheets.

The present invention, by reason of the sliding plate members to which the posts are attached and the cooperating latch means, which have been before mentioned, is adapted to perform the latter part of this shifting operation. The invention further contemplates the provision of movable means connected to at least one of the sliding plate members in order to completely accomplish such shifting of the leaves. Detent means have been provided for cooperation with the sliding plate and the movable means for shifting the posts and for retaining the latter in shifted position so that the posts and the papers supported thereby may not inadvertently or accidentally shift.

These and other objects and advantages, including those arising from the arrangement and structure of the component parts of the device, which enables the device to be readily assembled and easily actuated, will become apparent from the following description of one typical embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a binder employing the principles of the invention, the covers of the binder being in open position and the prongs being in the partially open overlapped position in which loose leaves contained by the binder may be examined but not removed therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section through the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of a portion of the device, other portions thereof being removed;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the device, the covers and prongs being in closed position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 2, along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, the relative positions of the parts of the device being as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the binder posts in full open position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the means which permit of longitudinal shifting of the binder posts;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view, along the line 8-8 of Fig. 1, of parts shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the back member.

As shown in Fig. 1, the illustrated binder comprises a pair of cover members In hinged to plate members or post bar members II and I2 which have arcuate slide portions I3 and I4, respectively, adapted to interfit and have sliding contact with an arcuate guide member I5. The latter has a pair of inturned flanges I6 at its lower edge to which a back member I1 is attached. The member I! for this purpose has affixed thereto a plate I8 having outwardly extending side flanges I9 overlying the guide member flanges IS.

The guide member I5 is provided with a plurality of transverse slots 2I, one occurring beneath each slide member I3 and I4, and seated in the slots are retainer slides 22 secured to the members I3 and I4, for retaining the latter in sliding relation upon the arcuate surface of the guide member and preventing longitudinal movement of slide plates relative to the guide member I 5. A pair of binder bars 23 and 24, respectively, are mounted upon the respective plates I I and I2, the binder bars carrying binder prongs 25 and 26, arranged in longitudinal rows.

As shown in Fig. 1, the prongs 25 and 26 are disposed in oflset'relation, adjacent prongs of one row being spaced a distance corresponding to four spaces between openings in the loose leaves to be bound. Adjacent prongs of opposite rows are normally spaced two leaf opening spaces so that one prong 26 is disposed medially of two adjacent prongs 25. In order to shift loose leaves one binder bar, 24, is slidably mounted upon the plate I2, the latter having lugs 21 overlying one side edge of the bar and overturned cars 28 overlying the opposite side edge of the bar. As shown in Fig. 7, the cars 28 are formed by cutting the outer side edge of the plate I2 into sections, alternate sections being inturned to form the cars 28 and the remaining sections being bent outwardly to loop form, as indicated at 29, for receiving a hinge pin 3! for attaching a cover member ID.

In order to control shifting of the binder bar 2:? longitudinally of the plate I2, an arm 33 is pivoted at one end by a pin 34 to the plate, or one lug 2'? thereof, the free end of the arm having a finger 35 engageable in one of a plurality of recesses 36, 37, and 38 formed in the bar 24. The recesses are spaced distances corresponding to those between adjacent openings in the loose leaves to be bound or one quarter the distance between adjacent prongs 2t and each recess is separated from the adjacent one by a rounded projection 39. Shoulders 4| are defined at the outer sides of the recesses 36 and 38 for preventing accidental movement of the bar 24 beyond the limits defined by the recesses, the finger being retained in the recesses by a spring 42, one end of which en ages the arm 33 and the opposite end of which engages in an opening 43 in the plate I2.

A handle 44 is secured to one end of the binder bar and it will be apparent that by moving the handle the prongs 26 may be shifted longitudinally of the binder and relative to the prongs 25, the length of movement being one space, the distance of the spacing of openings in the loose leaves, in either direction from the normal position shown in Fig. 1. The engagement of the finger 35 in the recesses will prevent accidental shifting of the bar and prongs and will insure that, in any shifted position, the prongs will be in alignment with the openings in loose leaves mounted on the opposing prongs.

Along the hinged edge of cover members Ill are secured stop members 32, adapted, when the covers are moved about their hinge axes into the positions relative to the plates II and I2 shown in Fig. 4, to abut portions of the plates, so that closing movement, or movement of the covers toward one another, will cause the slide plates I I and E2 to slide over the surface of the guide member I5 to carry the prongs 25 and 26 into or toward overlapped position.

It will now be understood that if the cover members it] be moved together or closed, the binder parts will be carried to the position shown in Fig. 4 wherein the prongs 25 and 28 are closed or fully overlapped so that loose leaves entered over the prongs will be compressed. If the cov ers be opened or moved apart and the plates I! and 12 be allowed to drop to a supporting surface, as indicated at S in Fig. 5, upon which the back member II reposes, the prongs will be in partially open or partially overlapped relation, allowing loose leaves to be spread apart to permit of inspection or examination of them, but prohibiting their removal from the binder. If the back member and arcuate guide member I5 be elevated from the supporting surface S, the plates I I and i 2 remaining in contact therewith, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the prongs 25 and 26 will assume an open or spaced relationship so that loose leaves may be inserted thereover or extracted therefrom.

In order to control opening and closing movements, an operating bar 45, having a handle 46 at one end thereof, is slidably mounted within the chamber defined by the arcuate guide member and the back member El, and a pair of support ing brackets 47 secured to the guide member I5 are provided with depending and thence inwardly turned portions 48 engaging beneath side flanges 49 of the operating bar 45. A plurality of cam slots 5i and 52 are formed in the operating bar for receiving rollers 53 and 54, respectively, journalled to the slide members i3 and 54. The cam slots 5I and 52 are similar but reversed, each comprising a pocket 55 for retaining a roller when the binder is closed, a transverse portion 56 to enable shifting of the rollers into alignment with an inclined portion 5?, the inclined slot portions terminating in longitudinally extending portions 58 and 59 at their respective inner and outer ends. The outer ends of the slot portions 59 (iii open, as depicted in Figs. 2 and 3, in transverse mouths 6| which permit of entrance of the rollers into the slots during assembly of the binder.

A bracket 62 connected to the slide bar 45 serves to support a compression spring 63, provided at its ends with bearing cups 54, the bracket having flanges 65 at its ends for retaining the spring compressed. A pair of screws 66 and 61 are threaded through the guide member I and have their shanks extending into slots 68 of the slide or operating bar 45. The shank of the screw 51 is extended as shown in Fig. 2 into abutment with a cup 55 adjacent the spring 63 and between the adjacent opposed flanges 65 of the bracket.

The spring 63 will normally act against the screw 61 to urge the bar 45 outwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 2, thus retaining the rollers in the closed ends of the slot portions 55, so that the slide members will be held latched in the closed position depicted in Figs. 2 and 4. Upon inward movement of the bar 45 effected by pressing the handle 45 against the urge of the spring 63, the rollers 53 and 54 will pass into the transverse portions 56 of the slots, thereby allowing 1 the slide plates I I and I2 to slide by gravity until the rollers abut the ends of the slot portions 55 adjacent the portions 51, at which time the slide plates and the binder prongs will assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 5.

If the handle 46 now be pulled outwardly, the rollers 53 and 54, already aligned with the slot portions 57, will ride in the slot portions 51 and into the terminal slot portions 59, carrying with them the slide plates I3 and I4 which are moved over the arcuate surface of the guide member I5 to cause the binder to assume the position shown in Fig. 6. It will be noted that this last movement of the bar 45 will not be resisted by the spring 63, so that the rollers, lying in the longitudinal portions 59 of the slots, will lock the binder in the full open position.

Inward movement of the handle will obviously reverse this last movement and will return the binder to the position shown in Fig 5. The binder may be completely closed by grasping the covers It! and moving them together to the position shown in Fig. 4, the rollers during this movement passing over the inclined inner walls 69 of the slot portions 55 causing the latching bar 45 to be moved inwardly against the tension of the spring 63 until the rollers reach the slot portions when the parts will assume their normal closed positions depicted in Figs. 2 and 4.

The flanges I6 of the arcuate guide member I5 are provided with slots I I, in alignment with the slot portions 55 of the latch bar 45 and the transverse slots 2| of the guide member, to facilitate assembly of the parts. In assembly the latch bar, complete with the spring 63 and its retainer 52, may be inserted in the arcuate guide member. The plates II and I2, complete with their binder bars, may have their slide portions I3 and M with the rollers 53 and 54 and retainer plates 22, entered into assembled relation with the guide member and the latch bar, the plates 22 and the rollers 53 and 54 entering the mouth portions SI of the slots 5i of the latch bar. The back plate Il may then be telescoped to the guide member to complete the assembly,

In order to facilitate the manufacture and assembly of the binders, the slide members II and I2 are made interchangeable. from an examination of Fig. 3, the guide slots 2|, terminating in slots II in the guide member flanges are, on one side thereof, spaced from one As will be seen end of the member distances equal to the spacing of the slots on the other side of the member from the opposite end thereof.

In operation it will be understood that the prongs 25 and 26 may be brought from their closed or overlapped position shown in Fig. 4 to partially open position, wherein the prongs overlap only slightly, by pressing the handle 46 inwardly. The binder may then be closed by moving the cover members I0 together to return and latch the prongs'in the position shown in Fig. 4. Or from partially open position, the prongs may be separated, to permit of insertion or removal of loose leaves, by pulling the handle outwardly, and they may be returned by moving it inwardly. It will be understood that leaves may be shifted by moving the handle 44 when the binder is in full open position.

It will further be understood that the herein described embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative of the principles thereof and that devices having various structural characteristics maybe made, utilizing these principles, within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a binder, a guide member having an arcuate surface, a pair of slide members attached to the guide member for sliding movement over the arcuate surface thereof, a plurality of posts carried by each of said slide members, the posts being movable to overlapped position or to spaced position by movement of said slide members, and means having coacting engagement with the slide members at a plurality of locations for releasably retaining the slide members in open, closed or intermediate positions.

2. In a binder, a guide member having an arcuate surface, a pair of slide members attached to the guide member for sliding movement over the arcuate surface thereof, a plurality of posts carried by and extending in a longitudinal row along each of said slide members for carrying filler leaves, the posts of said members being movable to overlaplped position for retaining the filler leaves or to spaced position for allowing removal of the leaves by movement of the slide members, the posts of one of said slide members being movable longitudinally of the slide members to permit of longitudinal shifting of the leaves, and a device slidably interengaging the slide members and guide member at a plurality of locations for selectively positioning the slide members in a plurality of positions toward and away from each other.

3. In a binder, an arcuate guide member having outer and inner arcuate surfaces, a pair of slide members attached to the guide member for sliding movement over the outer arcuate surface thereof, a plurality of posts carried by and extending in a longitudinal row along each of said slide members for carrying filler leaves, the posts of said members being movable to overlapped position for retaining the filler leaves or to spaced position for allowing removal of the leaves by movement of the slide members, the posts of one of said slide members being movable longitudinally of the slide member to permit of longitudinal shifting of the leaves, and an actuator slidable upon the inner surface of the arcuate member for positively controlling movement of the post carrying slide members.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising a guide member formed of an elongated sheet metal strip, arcuate in cross section, having a plurality of spaced transverse slots formed therein, prong carrying slide members slidably mounted on said guide member having portions guided in said slots, and an operating bar slidably mounted on said guide member and cooperating With said slide members for controlling and operating said members between open and closed positions.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a slide member comprising a sheet metal strip having opposite side marginal sections thereof arranged in angular 1O relation, said strip having the edge of one marginal section formed to'provide a series of spaced aligned hinge portions and overturned ears intermediate said hinge portions, lugs on the opposite marginal section, and a binder bar having leaf impaling posts thereon and angularly arranged marginal sections seated against the corresponding sections of said slide member with the side edges slidably engaged in said ears and lugs and cooperating therewith to provide a rigid sheet metal structure.

BENJAMIN G. RAND. 

